As Washington, DC prepared to celebrate Independence Day, Time Magazine editor at large Anand Giridharadas cast a sinister shadow over the festivities, suggesting a planned military parade is a sign he lives in ‘Putin’s America.’
Giridharadas tweeted the alarmist missive earlier this week, ahead of Thursday afternoon’s parade, and was soon taken to task by several commenters who noted the editor’s utter lack of context or historical perspective.
“I understand the hostility to Trump, but we've had military equipment in parades before in America,” one user responded, adding “It's not exactly unprecedented. Let's not cross over into derangement.”
Another person similarly pointed out America’s history with military parades, joking “Here's a pic of Putin's contribution to Eisenhower's inauguration parade” in the year 1953, when the Russian leader was only about two months old. His plot to take over America – and foist parades on the hapless citizenry – apparently hatched very early on.
The most cogent response, perhaps, observed that President Trump’s parade plan was inspired by America’s junior partner in the “Liberal World Order,” French President Emmanuel Macron – who held a military parade for Bastille Day in 2017 – not Putin, Russia, North Korea, or any other international bogeyman occupying western minds rent-free. Do we instead live in “Macron's America?” the commenter asked.
In addition to the US’ past fondness for martial processions at home, another person noted that America also parades its military around in other ways, occupying the four corners of the world, and much in between, with military bases and a lethal arsenal of missiles, tanks, jets, ships, spies and troops.
Then again, it is just Twitter, after all, as Giridharadas reminds his followers. Perhaps he could take his own advice and “chill.”
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